The Meaning of Isaiah 57:18 Explained

Isaiah 57:18

KJV: I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

YLT: His ways I have seen, and I heal him, yea, I lead him, And recompense comforts to him and to his mourning ones.

Darby: I have seen his ways, and will heal him; and I will lead him, and will restore comforts unto him and to those of his that mourn.

ASV: I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I have seen  his ways,  and will heal  him: I will lead  him also, and restore  comforts  unto him and to his mourners. 

What does Isaiah 57:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In spite of Israel"s response, Yahweh would heal, lead, and strengthen the nation"s inhabitants who mourned over their sinfulness. He would take the initiative by providing the Servant-to strengthen as well as to save (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19). It is not so much grace for redemption that is in view here, as grace to overcome the attraction of sin for people already redeemed.
"The unmerited nature of God"s favor has rarely been expressed more beautifully than in Isaiah 57:18." [1]

Context Summary

Isaiah 57:1-21 - No Peace To The Wicked
A terrible portrayal is given here of the idolatries and impurities into which the Chosen People had fallen. These scenes under "the oaks" (r.v.) and in the valleys remind us of the invariable evils associated with idolatry which the great Apostle has recorded in Romans 1:23-28. They refused to retain God in their knowledge, and He gave them over to a reprobate mind; that is, He ceased to restrain them.
But amid the degenerate nation, there was a handful of elect souls; God is always careful against rooting up the tares, lest one stalk of wheat perish. Amid the destruction that must overtake the guilty land they that trusted in Him, would not be overlooked. See Isaiah 57:13-14.
With what comfort the chapter closes! Isaiah 57:15, etc. We may have been covetous and froward, and have deserved wrath and chastisement, but God will not always chide. Only return to Him! He will revive your heart, and "restore comfort" to you. He will heal where He has wounded, and will bring you near, through the blood of the Cross. See Ephesians 2:16-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 57

1  The blessed death of the righteous
3  God reproves the People for their idolatry
13  He gives promises of mercy to the penitent

What do the individual words in Isaiah 57:18 mean?

His ways I have seen and will heal him and I will lead him and restore comforts to him and to his mourners
דְּרָכָ֥יו רָאִ֖יתִי וְאֶרְפָּאֵ֑הוּ וְאַנְחֵ֕הוּ וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֧ם נִֽחֻמִ֛ים ל֖וֹ וְלַאֲבֵלָֽיו

דְּרָכָ֥יו  His  ways 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
רָאִ֖יתִי  I  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְאֶרְפָּאֵ֑הוּ  and  will  heal  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: רָפָא  
Sense: to heal, make healthful.
וְאַנְחֵ֕הוּ  and  I  will  lead  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: נָחָה  
Sense: to lead, guide.
וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֧ם  and  restore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .
נִֽחֻמִ֛ים  comforts 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: נִחֻמִים  
Sense: comfort, compassion.
ל֖וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
וְלַאֲבֵלָֽיו  and  to  his  mourners 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָבֵל  
Sense: mourning.